Nature’s Monument
Dead wood is priceless. But what does that really mean? There is often still a lot of uncertainty about how many animals depend on it. During my research I was deeply inspired by Peter Wohlleben's book "The Hidden Life of Trees", in which he describes dead wood as a true biodiversity hotspot.
In his book he describes an experiment that shows that dead wood offers food, shelter and breeding places to countless animals: from insects and spiders to amphibians, reptiles, birds and small mammals.
For me this was a decisive insight. Dead wood is not just waste from the forest, it is the forest. It forms a complete ecosystem in itself.
Dead wood deserves protection. Even more: we should honor it as sacred wood, an immortal source of life. In my work "Nature's Monument" I want to grant this biodiversity hotspot a monumental status.
You’ve probably seen it happen before: a tree being cut down. Normally, you’d assume it’s dead, beyond saving. But recent research has shown that in some cases, such a tree is kept alive by its neighboring trees. Through an interconnected root system, they provide it with water and nutrients.
You can often recognize such a ‘dead’ tree by its shape. The cut surface is gradually rounded off by the surrounding trees. If the wound were left open, the tree would begin to rot and eventually die. In this way, the neighboring trees are actively protecting it. The tree itself is no longer capable of doing this, since it lacks foliage and by this can’t produce its own energy.
Examples of these trees can be found in the forest, and they served as the inspiration for the form of this monument. The rounded shapes are a direct reference to these protected trees, and will hopefully become naturally covered with mosses and other plants, allowing the monument to blend seamlessly into the forest.
Nature’s Monument was created by carefully examining the space it would inhabit. I made sketches, carved test pieces, and closely observed the natural surroundings.
What makes this place unique? I would argue that its uniqueness lies in the freedom it allows. Birds are free to build their nests wherever they choose, even in the middle of walking paths. Nature here is alive and thriving. In fact, I believe it doesn’t need our help at all.
The only reason we feel the need to ‘help’ nature is because of the challenges we face within it. If we set those aside and accept, for example, the risk of tripping over uneven paths that aren’t maintained, we’ll see that nature can take care of itself just fine.
Nature’s Monument was created for “Bos dat van zichzelf is” and “Goedlandt” , and will remain for as long as it exists.
52,05380° N, 5,36238° O